When I went into business in 2012, remote working was rare - and few people were talking about artificial intelligence in any meaningful way.

Less than 15 years later, we are still a fully remote business; I am still based in West Cork while our team is spread across Ireland and North America, from Calgary to Texas.

Today, AI is embedded in almost everything we do. Last month, Sheenco Travel were shortlisted in the Digital Transformation & AI category at the Operational Excellence Awards - a category introduced only last year.

So, to mark the recent World Creativity and Innovation Day – a UN-recognised day linking innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth – we are reflecting on our experience with AI and remote working, as more and more businesses are considering integrating both into their operations.

Sheenco Travel is the premier luxury tour operator for North Americans booking bespoke travel to Ireland. We have never had an office, and never intended to - a deliberate decision in 2012, well before the pandemic, when fully remote working was still far from common.

Earlier in my career, I worked with a U.S. travel company operating a hybrid model, where even relatively basic digital tools - and early AI-style applications – made remote coordination possible. What became clear, even then, was the link between technology and remote work, and that it tended to suit highly self-motivated people; who have difficulty switching off their devices and not working every hour they can – which includes me.

That........

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